According to Steve Reed of the Associated Press,

Charlotte, N.C.

Bryce Young has steadily improved his performance for the Carolina Panthers and earned his first NFL win this past Sunday.

Frank Reich, the coach, has confidence that Young’s output will significantly increase in the future if the Panthers can improve their efforts in guarding their quarterback, who is an essential player for their team.

Reich stated that he firmly believes there is more room for growth in his potential.

The top pick in the draft is still under a lot of pressure. He has been brought down by opposing teams 22 times in six games for the Panthers (1-6), with six of those sacks occurring during Sunday’s 15-13 win against Houston. This is the fourth game out of six where Young has been sacked four or more times.

Reich deemed Sunday’s display as unacceptable and stated that there were an excessive number of sacks.

After the game, Reich stated that he initially believed Young had held onto the ball for too long during a few plays against the Texans, but his opinion changed after reviewing the game footage.

“I couldn’t find an open receiver,” stated Reich, a retired NFL quarterback. “The few times I thought there was an opportunity, there were no viable options.”

The Panthers need to improve their support for Young. While improved blocking from the offensive line would be beneficial, their receivers should also work on creating more distance from defenders. Additionally, establishing a stronger ground game would greatly benefit the team, as they have struggled with an average of only 90.3 yards per game.

Reich stated that there isn’t one specific reason for the six sacks, but rather four different factors. The issue needs to be addressed and improved upon.

In addition to being sacked frequently, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Young is also facing a significant number of hits in the pocket, which could potentially have long-term effects. So far this season, opposing teams have made 46 quarterback hits on him, with the Texans recording a season-high 10.

On Wednesday, Young expressed that all members of the Panthers’ offense are taking responsibility for the issue at hand, but acknowledged that it ultimately falls on him.

According to Young, when he sees sacks, he questions the actions of the offensive line. He takes responsibility for some of those sacks and believes he can improve by getting rid of the ball quicker and maneuvering within the pocket. He also acknowledges that some sacks are a result of good coverage and he needs to work on going through his reads and finding open receivers or throwing the ball away when necessary.

Young’s average passing yards per game is less than 200. He has thrown seven touchdown passes and four interceptions.

This Sunday, he will go up against the Indianapolis Colts who are currently ranked 12th in the league for sacks (21), but have not performed well overall.

The team from Indianapolis has given up a minimum of 37 points in their last three matches and ranks at the bottom of the league for points allowed per game (28.6). This gives Young a chance to improve upon his first win.

The Panthers have received positive news about their offensive line as veteran guard Austin Corbett returned this past weekend after being out for the first six games due to a torn ACL.

This indicates that Carolina’s offensive line has returned four out of five of its starting players from the previous season to the field.

Young stated that we must each find ways to improve individually and decrease the number of sacks.

The Panthers had eight players absent from Wednesday’s practice, one being wide receiver D.J. Chark who was sidelined due to an elbow injury. Safety Vonn Bell, who had missed the last two games, returned to practice.

Source: wralsportsfan.com